Monday's World Cup 2010 round-up

Adidas, maker of the Jabulani World Cup ball, has rejected claims that it was to blame for England goalkeeper Robert Green's error that led to England drawing 1-1 with the United States on Saturday.

Adidas's Thomas Schaikvan said: "We are happy with the ball's performance and we don't think it had anything to do with the goal England conceded. On the contrary, if you look at the games so far, some goalkeepers have been the stars of the tournament.

"The Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and United States goalkeeper Tim Howard won the man-of-the-match award in their games, and the South Africa goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune was also excellent against Mexico."

Meanwhile, Howard has been passed fit to continue in the World Cup after fears that he had broken a rib when colliding with Emile Heskey.

The goalkeeper also believes the draw with England was a better result than the United States' famous World Cup win in 1950. That 1-0 shock was an isolated success, with the US not appearing in the World Cup for another 40 years, but Howard said the result was evidence of progress.

Australian coach Pim Verbeek says he is likely to use forward Harry Kewell when the Socceroos face Ghana after missing out on the opening World Cup 4-0 defeat by Germany when Tim Cahill was sent off.

"The plan was to bring him in. You saw that he was warming up. But the moment you start to play with 10 players you need different players on the field than Harry Kewell," the Dutchman said. "So I tried to save him for maybe the next game."

France's Florent Malouda has denied that a bust-up with coach Raymond Domenech cost him a starting place against Uruguay:

"It may appear surprising to you, but it was a defensive choice. That's how the manager presented it to me," Malouda said. "I learned of it at 4pm after the meal. It didn't affect my digestion, the pancakes were very good, but there was real disappointment."

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has tipped England as one of the teams that can win the World Cup. "England are one of the great threats. It is not because Fabio Capello is Italian that is important. It is because he is good, he is a winner," said Lippi.

"I have said before that the favourites are Brazil and Spain. But personally I also feel Argentina, Germany, Italy, France and England can all win and be careful of Holland. They have all come here because they want to win."

Indian businessman Putul Bora has kept a bottle of whisky buried in his back garden for the last 16 years waiting for his favourite football team - Germany - to win the World Cup.

Bora, who owns a grocery store in the remote town of Diphu, gave up alcohol in 2002 but is prepared to dig up the whisky he bought for 650 rupees (£9.50) the day after Germany lost to Bulgaria in 1994 quarter-final. He said: "I shall resume drinking only when Germany lifts the Cup. No one can lure me to consume alcohol before that."

Polish newspapers basked in reflected glory of Poland-born strikers Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose after the pair fired Germany to a 4-0 drubbing of Australia in their opening World Cup match with a goal each.

Podolski and Klose hail from southern Poland but both emigrated to neighbouring Germany as youngsters. The front page of Polish sports daily Przeglad Sportowy read, "A massive game for the duo from Poland," accompanied by a photograph of Podolski hugging Klose.

Dutch reserve goalkeeper Michel Vorm returned to the Netherlands on Monday just minutes after his team's 2-0 World Cup win over Denmark after his wife gave birth on the eve of the game.

The 26-year-old Utrecht player, who was on the bench against the Danes, was surprised after the match when Dutch head coach Bert van Marwijk told him that he would be flown back home to be with his wife, Daisy, and baby son.

His wife gave birth on Sunday night and Vorm is expected back in training on Thursday with the Netherlands playing their next World Cup match against Japan in Durban on Saturday.

"We decided to send him home after the match, I told him that on the pitch after the match so he is flying home to be with his wife and son," said van Marwijk.

France defender William Gallas and reserve goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso pulled out of the team's World Cup training session on Monday.

Carrasso pulled a muscle in his left thigh and Gallas walked off midway through the session in Knysna because of a muscle problem.

Gallas withdrew as a precautionary measure. France play Mexico on Thursday in Polokwane.

Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba is still waiting to hear from Fifa over whether or not he will be allowed to play against Portugal on Tuesday wearing a protective cast.

The Chelsea striker trained with his team-mates at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Monday evening and manager Sven-Goran Eriksson revealed he was waiting to hear from officials over whether Drogba could wear a lightweight dressing on his fractured arm.

Eriksson said: "There has been a FIFA meeting today [Monday] and the people haven't come back yet. We will know later."

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